


The Cruelty Of Choice

by atenebrae



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU Michael, Angelic Possession, Angst, Blood and Gore, Cliffhanger, Implied Destiel - Freeform, Love Confessions, M/M, Michael!Dean, Minor Character Death, One Shot, Pre-Season/Series 14, Revelations of Feelings, Season Finale, Season/Series 13, Self-Sacrifice, Short, Spells & Enchantments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 11:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14670426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atenebrae/pseuds/atenebrae
Summary: After Michael crossed the portal to their world, the Winchesters, Castiel, Jack and Rowena have to face the archangel who's determined to give this universe the same fate as his. Thanks to one of Rowena's spell, they think they might have a chance, but it turns out Michael is way stronger than they thought, and suddenly they're all severely wounded, with no hope to ever make it out alive. Unless...Unless Dean accepts to become Michael's vessel, which he is not ready to do so willingly. But can he really refuse when his only choice turns out to be his freedom, orCastiel's life?





	The Cruelty Of Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, I'm back with another fic!  
> This is sort of inspired by the few promo pics I've seen for the s13 finale, so consider this my take on what will happen in the last episode. Though this is clearly a Destiel fic (as always), I, for once, tried to keep it quite subtle and... Oh well you'll see if you read it!  
> I hope you'll enjoy and don't hesitate leaving your thoughts or questions in the comments! :)

Dean stood, all his muscles tense, Sam on one side, Cas on the other. Rowena’s hair was a bright blur on the corner of his eye, and he didn’t need to turn to know she’d be as nervous and fearful as him. He made a small step, hiding Jack behind him, his body a shield for the powerful Nephilim who was just a trembling little boy in that moment.

In front of them, Lucifer and Michael, staring at them with their eyes deep and filled with envy and chaos. All the light, Dean noticed, seemed to be sucked by these two beings with souls the color of blood and ash and war. The little abandoned church were they stood felt as if it could crumble at any moment, the power in its belly making it shiver under the wind.

Michael moved towards them, making them step back, all weapons raised towards him. “Listen, all I’m asking is that you don’t stand in my way” he said, a honeyed smile on his lips. “Come on, you know you’ve already lost. Don’t make it harder than it is. Just step aside.”

Lucifer suddenly cleared his throat, breaking the thunder and grace rolling in Michael’s words. “Plus one tiny thing” he said, and Michael’s jaw visibly clenched, as the archangel controlled himself not to pulverize Lucifer where he stood.

Michael closed his eyes for a second, before he looked back at the Winchesters, the same sweet expression on his face, hiding the rage and chaos burning inside him. “Yes. We also need the boy” he said, glancing at Jack, who stiffened behind Dean.

“Yeah,” Dean said, his features cold and tense, “Not gonna happen.”

Michael sighed. “Oh well, it doesn’t matter” he said, already forgetting about the little golden-eyed boy.

Lucifer turned in one move to him. “No, no, no we had a _deal_. I helped you getting you here, and you’d help me getting my son.”

Michael’s eyes, hard as stones, landed on Lucifer. “No. I agreed to help you getting back to your world. Nothing else.” He glanced at the small group huddled together. “Besides, you already had your chance, and you failed.”

Lucifer opened his mouth, closed it. “I _know_ this world” he finally said. “You need my help. And you’ll only get it if you help me get him.” Despite his apparent confidence, his voice trembled a little, as if he was almost begging Michael.

This one rose an eyebrow. “It’s just a kid. You’re his father. Why don’t you do it yourself?”

Lucifer stiffened but he seemed to suddenly realize something, as if Michael’s words were the only thing he needed to act. He stood straighter and turned his glance to Jack. “Jack, come” he said, his voice almost soft, almost convincing.

 

Dean felt Jack holding his breath behind him. The young Nephilim considered his father, feeling a painful beat shake his heart. When he had met Lucifer in the Apocalypse World, he had believed. Of course, the Winchesters had told him how cruel and merciless and _evil_ he was, but for one tiny moment he had somehow believed he could at least weave a fragile bond between the two of them. After all, hadn’t he brought Sam back? Wasn’t that something good, especially when you knew how much he meant to Jack?

Jack had felt sorrowful, among the cheerful mass that gathered in the bunker. He had sat alone, his heart beating slow and black in his chest. He was now left with a deceased mother and a father abandoned in a broken world. But his feelings soon changed. Taking advantage on his heartbreak and a small moment of inattention from the brothers and Castiel, his father, miraculously escaped from the other dimension, had grabbed him, yanked his tiny grace with him in a flutter of tattered wings.

Jack looked at his father. Lucifer thought he had somehow saved him from the Winchesters’ grip, but Jack had felt so wrong, so _alone_ , far away from them, his only company the cold stare of his father. Even now, his cheek still burned where Lucifer had hit him, when he had finally realized Jack would never fully be his.

Jack took a small breath in. “No” he said, raising his head proud and strong, feeling protected by the warm bodies surrounding him like a fortress.

Lucifer’s brow furrowed, darkening his eyes. “What?” he asked, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“I’m not coming with you” Jack answered. “This-” He looked around, at Dean, Sam, Castiel, Rowena, “This is my family. I stay with them.”

Lucifer now seemed to boil of anger. His eyes suddenly turned to glowing red, and his voice sounded like a dozen when he repeated, “Jack, come with me. It’s an order.”

“I think you should get those ears checked, buddy” Dean said, a slight smirk spreading on his lip. “I don’t think you heard what he said. The kid’s with us.”

Lucifer clenched his fists, ready to step towards them, but Michael’s voice stopped him. “Right, if you’ll excuse me, I don’t have time for your little, earthly disputes.” He gave the group a look. “Will you stand aside?”

His stare was so cold, so fierce anyone would have fallen to his knees. Perhaps they would have wanted to, if it was not for Lucifer’s intervention which once again broke the dark atmosphere like rain among the thick clouds.

“No! We’re getting my son back first!” he shouted, turning to Michael like a little frustrated child.

Michael’s features turned tense like stone, his eyes dark like the night. “Now is not the time. You will-”

“Remember our deal?” Lucifer shouted, nearly spitting his words at him. “You’ll be lost without me in this world! You need me but I won’t help you unless I have my son! So you’ll help me getting him from these idiots or I will-”

 

Before he could say anything more, he suddenly burst into a cloud of smoke, pale blue and ashy gray swirling together in the dim light of the church, no scream and no protest echoing in its walls as each tiny speck fell down, landing in a neat heap on the wooden ground.

They all stared at the space where Lucifer stood a second before, considering the scene with mouths agape and wide-open eyes, breaths trapped in their chests. Jack felt his heart having a jolt of ache despite everything, and he rose his stare ahead of him, as they all did, and crossed Michael’s eyes.

 

This one lowered the fingers he had just snapped. He gave them an almost sympathetic smile. “I had the feeling everyone wanted the same thing. Was I wrong?” he said, glancing at the small heap of ashes with a mocking smirk, before he looked back at them.

Dean considered him, heart racing behind his ribs. He couldn’t deny he was glad Lucifer was gone, but he was now more afraid of Michael than ever. If he could destroy another archangel with the blink of the eye, how easy for him would it be to kill Sam? Rowena? Jack? Cas? Dean turned to the angel and his heart clenched. He had already lost all the present people one way or another, Sam the most recently. If Cas turned into dust in this instant, he was sure he would never get up again.

Sam’s voice broke him back to reality. “You’ll never get what you want” he said, making a small step towards Michael. Dean’s blood freeze of fear in his veins, as did Cas’. “We won’t let you destroy our world the way you did yours.

Michael smiled calmly. “Well, then, you chose the hard way.” His smile faded, leaving in its place an expression so dark and murderous a shiver ran through all of them. Michael’s blade appeared in his hand. “Guess I will have to take it from your corpses” he said, before he started walking towards them, eyes glowing icy cold.

 

Rowena’s voice broke like thunder, shouting in foreign words, and suddenly a spell powerful like a storm and violent like an ocean wave crashed over Michael, bright purple light diving into his chest. He rolled away in the dust, his body landing with a thud on the floor.

The brothers turned to Rowena, whose eyes glow like jewels, as she breathed heavily. “You need to go. Now!” she said, her voice hushed and afraid.

Dean frowned. “We can’t. If we don’t take care of him now, it’s the entire world we’re putting in danger!”

Rowena shook her head, frowning. “Please, no more Winchester pride!” She dived her eyes into Dean’s and he could barely recognize the witch that had played them so many times in the past. “Save your brother. Save your angel. Save the boy! Just run away while I hold him back. Maybe I can even get rid of him!”

Sam approached, his eyes dark, his breathing quick. “No, Rowena. We’re not leaving you here with him.”

Rowena turned to him, her eyes filling with tears, and her body was covered by a brutal shiver. Dean sighed, his head pulsing of pain. He didn’t know what to do, and once again he had to chose between the fate of the world and the ones he loved.

 

His heart clenched as he turned to Castiel and his eyes met his. “Cas. Just get the kid and Rowena and get the hell out of here, OK?” he asked, feeling his soul sink inside him.

Shock spread all over Cas’ features. “Dean, I won’t leave you here” he said, sounding Dean’s eyes, his own filled with terror.

Dean shook his head. “We need to get Jack and Rowena into safety. And-” He stopped, a sudden weight falling on his chest. He took a shaking breath in before he said, “And I can’t see you die once again. I can’t.”

Cas stared at him, his eyes wide like the moon. “I have a chance of surviving Michael. You don’t” he said, making a tiny step closer. “I will not abandon you.”

Dean stared at him, his breath short, and suddenly there was so many things he wished to say, but it was just the wrong time, the wrong place, the wrong life. He wanted to push Cas far away from the danger, but the angel was stubborn, he wouldn’t move a feet away from him for God knew what reason.

He was about to move closer to Cas in some kind of desperate motion of his soul, when a laughter so devoid of joy or humanity chilled his being to the bone, freezing the blood in his veins.

 

He turned back to see Michael rising from the ground, his features distorted by this sound so low, so threatening he might have been a beast growling in the pits of Hell. When the archangel raised his eyes to them, Dean saw that blood was dripping from them, leaving bright red trails on his skin. Michael had turned into a stunning but monstrous statue weeping blood.

Lightning struck and Michael’s wings appeared on the walls, huge and strong and breathtaking. Castiel himself felt a pang in his heart. Michael was one of the many angels of the Apocalypse World who had never tasted pain, who had never fell and never had their wings ripped from their backs. He was nothing like the last broken things that kept Heaven alive in this world.

Michael stared at them through his bloody tears. “You just made a terrible mistake, witch” he said, his stare turning to Rowena.

Sam saw Rowena freeze, before she clenched her fists and held her head high to stop herself from shaking. “This spell will not kill you but it will destroy your vessel if you stay in this world” she said and they all admired how fearless she sounded despite the gravity of the situation. “Go now, or you will wander forever in this world that is not yours!”

Michael didn’t seem impressed at all and let out a new wave of blood-drenched laughter. He stepped towards them and Dean noticed the archangel’s skin beginning to blister, to swell and let blood and grace out in a gruesome puddle on the ground.

“You’ll provide me a new vessel, now” Michael said, his voice echoing all around them like thunder breaking above the valley.

Dean frowned and he almost felt like laughing. “Are you kidding me?” He stared at Michael in disbelief. “Why in the hell would we do that?”

Michael held his eyes, his own shining bright blue, burning through his melting skin. “Or else I will kill every one you care about. Starting by her” he said, and before Dean could react Michael sent Rowena flying across the room and she landed on the floor with a small cry of agony.

 

“No!” Jack cried out and Cas and Sam tried to hold him back, but he was strong and determined and he ran away from their hands. He stood in front of Michael, his eyes burning like two golden coins. “I will not let you hurt my family!”

Golden light burst from his palms and with a cry he shot it towards Michael, the power like a divine arrow pointed at the archangel. It struck him right in his chest and he stumbled back, giving the gaping wound a surprised look. He looked back at Jack and he gave him a smile, though his eyes were filled with fury.

“With that kind of power, you should not be with them,” he said, looking in disdain at the brothers and Castiel. “You should be with us, the angels!”

Jack shook his head. “No. You want to take everything from the humans, you want to take everything they ever built. You think you’re better than them, but all you want is destruction, and I can’t let you do that.”

 

Dean looked at him, completely stunned by Jack’s courage, and he felt his heart leaping forward. Sam and Cas both were tense and ready to jump by Jack’s side, and he knew they were equally attached to that small, odd creature with liquid gold swirling in his eyes. Even he who began by loathing Jack to an inhuman point would feel his being shatter if anything ever happened to him.

With a battle cry, Jack sent another light beam towards Michael. Tears welled in his eyes. All the pain he felt, it coursed through his veins like blood, like magic, making him powerful.

He thought of his mother, tricked by Lucifer, destined to bear the divine and die against her will. He thought of Castiel, the only person who had cared for him before he was even born, mercilessly killed by his own brother. He thought of all the people in the other world, slaughtered by dozens by creatures with wide wings and blazing eyes. He thought of his family, hurt and patched up more times than he could count, and he thought that Michael wanted to take them from him. Him who had no more mother and no more father, a half breed spat into the world, just lucky enough to find people who would care for him.

He howled, his small wings spreading on the walls behind him and shot another ray of pure, hot sunshine before Michael gave an annoyed flick of his hand and Jack was sent flying across the room, landing near Rowena who had only then began to sit up.

 

Cas screamed Jack’s name. Dean gave the Nephilim a terrified look, but seeing Jack stir and sit up, he knew there was still hope to save him.

“Rowena!” he shouted and the witch snapped her head to look at him. “Get him away from here!”

“No!” Jack cried, beginning to rise up again, his now soft blue eyes diving into Dean’s. “I won’t leave you!” he said, and the raw emotion in his broken voice made the tears burn in Dean’s eyes.

He wished he could say something, tell Jack everything would be alright and that they would soon all be reunited, but he wasn’t so sure of it. Instead, he bit his tongue and nodded at Rowena. She gave him a last sorrowful look before she gently put her hand on Jack’s shoulder and a purple glow briefly blinded them, strange words loud and powerful floating in the air.

When it vanished, Dean felt his heart still shaking with Jack’s cry of protest as he was dragged away from danger. Though his fate seemed very obscure, Dean felt his chest a little lighter. At least a part of his family was safe for now. Rowena and Jack were probably already far away, and his mother and the rest of the survivors were hidden away from that monster with a mask of grace and feathers.

Now he only needed to get Sam and Cas away from him. It felt foolish, for him to throw himself into the maws of the beast but he would rather loose his life than see his loved ones die before him.

 

He turned back to look at Michael, whose skin seemed to melt away from his bones, his smile distorted, chilling Dean to the blood. “Listen, you don’t have a choice, you have to get back there-” Dean said, showing the rift behind the archangel, glowing weakly, “Or we’ll end you. It’s as easy as that.”

“You’re right” Michael answered after a moment, making Dean’s eyes open wide. “It’s as easy as that” he said and before any could react, he sent Sam flying across the room as if he weighted nothing more than a feather.

“Sam!” Dean cried out and moved by an instinct greater than common sense, he ran to his brother, kneeling beside him, his heartbeats frantic and desperate.

“I’m OK, I’m OK” Sam said, sitting up, though blood flowed lazily from a severe cut on his forehead. He looked at Michael behind Dean, before he dived his eyes into his brother’s. “Dean… I don’t think we can beat him” he whispered, any trace of hope or strength gone from his voice.

Dean’s eyes hardened. “Yes, yes we can. We’ve seen worse before, we can take that son of a bitch down now” he said, helping his brother standing up. His heart then leaped forward when he remembered Cas had been left alone with Michael and he turned around, eyes wide open.

 

Castiel stood before Michael, his silver blade gripped tight in his hand, his eyes filled with white-blue light. He was standing right in the middle, shielding the brothers from the archangel, and keeping this one for doing them any more harm.

Michael gave him an uninterested look, as if he was nothing but a speck of dust in the air, a bug under his shoe, and he looked back at Dean. “You don’t have a choice” he said, echoing Dean’s own words, “You have to obey me if you don’t want to see your precious little family die.”

Dean came to stand near Castiel, if not a little in front of him, afraid the archangel might suddenly turn against him. “And what would be the price for that?” he asked, clenching his fists tight so his hands would stop shaking so badly. He saw Cas turn to him from the corner of his eye, a frightened expression on his face.

 

Michael rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed but his gesture was stopped by a violent wave of blood, the thick liquid spurting from his mouth onto the ground like a waterfall. He bent in two to throw it all up and Dean almost hoped to see some blue grace flow with it. When it didn’t, he made a few quick steps to Michael, angel blade in hand.

But Michael was strong, the celestial fire fueling his soul making him raise his head right before Dean struck. With a motion of his wrist, he pushed Dean aside, and this one rolled on the ground with a muffled cry of pain.

“Dean!” Sam cried and when he ran to Michael, the archangel gave him the same fate, pushing him so hard against the wall Sam fell limp, barely having the strength to raise his head to give his brother a worried look. Castiel shouted Dean’s name, but came tumbling down by Sam’s side the second after, making Dean’s heart stop, ice cold.

Michael walked to Dean and all his shadow weighed down on him. “You’ll give me a vessel in this world.”

Dean spat blood at his feet and smirked. “As I said, not gonna happen.”

Michael’s eyes darkened, his face now a monstrous image, more beast than human. His hand suddenly seized Dean by the throat and he rose him in the air, leaving Dean gasping for air, eyes filling with uncontrollable fear.

“You will, I can assure that” Michael whispered, his breath a rancid stench that made Dean’s stomach clench. The archangel looked behind his shoulder to Sam. “I can kill him slow and make you watch, until you accept. And I know you will, just to save him.”

Dean felt his heart miss a beat. He blinked, holding his breath. “And where would I find someone crazy enough to accept you in?”

Michael had a wicked laugh. “Well, I don’t think you’ll have to look too far” he whispered, blood dripping from his eyes, flowing lazily, thick and black. Seeing Dean gave him a confused look, his smile only spread wider. “You” he whispered, the single word echoing all around them.

Dean’s breathing stopped. “What?” he said, failing to keep his voice steady.

“I want you to be my vessel” Michael said, his eyes traveling up and down Dean’s body, considering it as a valuable possession, a pretty pet, with eyes filled with greed and desire. He looked back at Dean, the corners of his mouth pulled up into a terrifying, distorted smile. “I can _feel_ it, Dean” he said, hissing the hunter’s name. “You’ll be the perfect vessel.”

Dean’s blood turned cold. His eyes were dark stones when he said, “No, never.”

Michael smirked, though his strength was considerably diminishing. “As you wish” he said, and he let go of Dean, letting him fall heavily on the ground. He moved his hand, eyes growing bright blue and suddenly Sam began to cry out of pain, a sound so terrible Dean felt it resonate in his bones. He tried to stand up but the pain in his ribs kept him pinned down on the ground.

 

Castiel escaped Michael’s attention and ran to Dean, kneeling to him, his eyes wider and bluer than usual. “Dean” he said, ripping Dean’s eyes from his brother. “I will buy you and Sam some time. Run away while you still can.”

Dean’s eyes opened wide. “No, no you can’t” he said, sitting as best as he could, glancing nervously at Sam who rolled on the ground, arms wrapped around his stomach as blood began to bubble on his lip. “We have to get out of here together.”

“Dean” Cas began but Dean suddenly gripped his sleeve, eyes imploring.

“No” he said, his voice strong and determined. “I’m not leaving you” he said before his face seemed to break down. “Not again” he added, remembering the painful moments where he had left Cas in the Apocalypse World with Lucifer, and the terrible aftermath of it.

 

Before Castiel could say anything, he was ripped away from Dean’s grasp, sent rolling on the ground several feet away. His name escaped Dean’s lips in a terrified hushed whisper and he looked up to see Michael walking to him.

“Made your choice already?” he said, sending another wave of pain in Sam’s body. The younger Winchester bit his tongue to stop another scream from escaping his mouth, but tears welled in his eyes as the ache grew and grew, bubbling and scorching inside him.

“No!” Dean said, feeling his soul being ripped in two.

“Become my vessel, now!” Michael thundered, and his words were finally heard by Sam and Cas.

“No, Dean, don’t do that!” Sam shouted with the little force he had left. He tried to move but his bones felt broken in a thousand pieces. He could only stare at Dean, helpless with his sorrowful eyes.

 

Michael smirked but a wave of blue light suddenly hit him from behind. When he turned back, Castiel was standing in front of him, all his body shivering of fury, light flooding his eyes and palms. Another motion of his hand and he pushed Michael aside, quickly coming to stand between him and Dean, who whispered Cas’ name as he stood up, heart beating too fast.

Michael got up again and let out a howl of rage. He looked at Castiel as if for the first time. “You’re beginning to bother me, brother of mine” he said, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Cas. “I knew the Castiel from my world, and he was nothing like you are. He wouldn’t have stood with the _humans_ ” he said, spitting the last word with poison and blood.

Castiel quickly glanced behind him, making sure Dean was alright as he finally stood up completely, his hand gripping Cas’ sleeve. When he crossed his bright green eyes, pupil tiny of fear, his heart leaped in his chest and God, he wished he could turn time around so none of this would happen. Because he knew, oh he knew, he would never forgive himself if something happened to Dean.

“You have lost, Michael” Castiel said, still shielding Dean from the archangel. “You have no army, and soon you won’t have a vessel anymore. Turn back while you still can.”

Michael didn’t seem to listen to a single one of his words. Instead, his eyes narrowed even more as if he was studying Castiel like a strange little creature. “I don’t understand” he said, his eyes going back and forth between Dean and Cas. “You _befriended_ this human?” he asked in disbelief.

“Things are different in this world. That’s why I can’t let you destroy it” Cas answered, his eyes dark like the stormy sea.

Michael shook his head. “No, something’s wrong. I’ve known traitors, angels who’d defend humans but they had their limits. They wouldn’t dare their own deaths for them.” The archangel seemed genuinely confused, as if Castiel had been the greatest mystery of his existence. “Why?”

“They’re my family” Castiel, and Dean’s heart shuddered of pride and fondness.

“No, no” Michael answered. “You care about this one-” he said, vaguely pointing at Sam, “But there’s something different with _him_ ” he added, looking straight at Dean. “Don’t stand in my way no more, and I’ll let you live, brother” Michael said, a curious look in his eyes as if he was thrilled to know what would Cas answer, as if he couldn’t believe the angel’s decision to protect Dean.

“No” Cas said, his voice booming like a storm.

Michael frowned and winced when the burning spell spread near his heart. He clenched his jaw and suddenly his eyes turned glowing again. “I will find out what it is” he said, shutting his eyelids tight. Dean considered him with a confused look before Cas suddenly fell on his knees, crying out of pain, his hands raising to his head as Michael’s mind found his way into it.

Seconds passed, each falling like sand in an hourglass. Time seemed to stretch, noise going slow and muffled, Cas’ screams of agony the only sharp detail around Dean as he tried to do something, his palms on Cas’ back and hair, trying to bring him back to him.

 

Finally, Michael’s lips were pulled into a wide smile. He coughed and coughed, blood and spit falling onto the ground, his skin entirely blistered and red as if he had been burned alive, more blood dripping from his eyes, his eyelids swollen and black, and he laughed, and he laughed.

“Oh, I understand now” he said, his voice sharp and mocking like a dagger. “I’ve heard of that before, but I never thought I’d see it with my own two eyes.”

He started walking towards Dean, but Cas got up again despite his shaking limbs and his head sore like a wildfire had spread into the trees of his mind. “Get away from him” he said between his clenched teeth, “I’ll not repeat it.”

“Oh it’s so pathetic!” Michael exclaimed, almost beaming behind his mask of blood and gore. His eyes then opened dramatically wide and he said, “Should I tell him what you’re hiding? Should I tell him why you’d give your life for him?”

“Stop” Cas said, lowering his head, jaw clenched, knuckles white of anger, eyes filled with pure lightning, wings shaking in his back. He heard Dean whispering his name, his fingertips softly landing on his shoulder, sending sparks to his blood. He closed his eyes tight, breathed deep and tried to chase all the glowing feeling away. He couldn’t be weak, not now.

But Michael ignored him and laughed. His eyes fell upon Dean, and this one shivered at the shadows dancing in the archangel’s eyes. “See, your friend here would do anything to save you, for very selfish reasons” he said, making a few steps towards him, visibly suffering to the extreme with each of them. Still, his smirk wouldn’t fade.

Dean’s eyes darkened. “That’s what family does. Not that you’d know.”

“Maybe” Michael said and his eyes briefly flicked to Cas, who had lowered his own, knowing what was to come. “But I’ve been into his mind, and I know he’s moved by something else than _family_.” He got closer, visibly enjoying the situation, bringing more chaos while he still could. “No, see, he has other reasons. He’s moved by the most powerful feeling humans know, the only one stronger than anger or envy. The one thing we angels have never been taught. But yet, here he is!” Michael gave Cas a cruel smile before his eyes met Dean’s again. “See, he fell for you, in every way possible.”

 

A great silence burst into the room. Dean blinked, once, twice, completely lost. He tried to turn Michael’s words again and again in his head, but there wasn’t a hundred ways to understand them. He took a deep breath in, his lungs so tight it sounded like a painful gasp. Cas’ back was still facing him, his body between the archangel and him.

“Too bad it isn’t reciprocal, right?” Michael said with a smirk, his eyes meeting Cas’ blue ones, as the angel tried to hide his hurt as much as he could.

Dean felt his heart leap forward, and he wanted to say, wait, no, you haven’t been inside _my_ mind, you don’t know how _I_ feel, you don’t know how much he means to me. But his mouth wouldn’t open, all the words were stuck in his lungs. The fear, the pain, the shame, all of it kept them tucked behind his ribs, all warm and beating like little creatures, beautiful but useless.

But before he could try to let any of them free, Michael’s mood seemed to suddenly shift, as his bones broke and his blood flowed and his grace started to escape from his body. His face twisted into an horrific grin and his voice boomed like a storm in the church.

“Now, you only have once choice” he said, his eyes now dark like the night, deep bruises spreading like wings around them, his stare so strong on Dean. Either you accept to become a holy vessel or your brother and precious lovestruck angel die!”

 

Dean stared at him, incapable of speaking. Michael looked at him, his eyes cold and merciless and suddenly he moved his hand and Castiel bent in two, screaming of pain. Dean cried his name, but he was flung across the room like a tiny feather in the wind. When he rose his head he cross Sam’s eyes on the other side of the room, and he knew all hope was gone. One of his brother’s leg was twisted under him in an odd angle. He couldn’t even move, couldn’t escape.

But worse than that, when Dean turned back to Castiel, this one had the sharp tip of an archangel blade to his throat, Michael holding him against him, his mad eyes diving into Dean’s.

“No, no, no” Dean muttered and when he tried to crawl toward Cas, he was pushed far away again, making him all his body howl of ache, his heart sink in the dark of his chest. “Cas!” he shouted and the angel looked up at him, his blue eyes sorrowful and broken, giving him a look he had never seen before. One that suddenly unraveled all the feelings that have been kept inside, one that grieved for something that was never even born.

“Surrender, or he dies” Michael said and as if to prove his willingness to do it, he pressed the blade against the thin skin of Cas’ throat, a thin ribbon of blue light appearing behind the wound. Dean stayed speechless, breathless, his chest hurting so bad he felt he might be about to burst. “Show your friend if you’d give your life for him as he would for you” he spat with venom.

 

Dean didn’t stir, too stunned to react. He turned to Sam and in his eyes he saw pure terror, and he saw his lips moving into an eternal loop of _no, no, no_. Dean thought of him, and he thought of his mother. Of Jack and Rowena, waiting for their return somewhere. Of the hundreds of innocent that would be killed if Michael was set loose on this world. All this bloodbath and destruction for one person? That was madness, he thought, shaking his head.

No, he couldn’t.

 

He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and heard Michael laughing. Cas’ strangled cry arrived to his ears, and dear, he wished Cas didn’t believe for one second that he would give up on him so easily.

 

Dean took a deep breath, filled his lungs with heavy, dusty air smelling of fire and blood.

“Yes” he murmured, eyes still shut tight, still on his knees in the broken church.

Michael stopped laughing. “What did you say?” he asked, stunned.

Dean finally opened his eyes again and looked up at him. In that moment he didn’t think of the monster he was unleashing on the world, or even of the searing pain spreading in his body, his vision blurry and shaking, the blood flowing from his wounds. No, he only thought of the blade against Cas’ throat, his wide eyes wonderful and damp of tears.

 

He smiled. “I said, yes, I agree” he said, and his eyes fell one last time upon Cas, a last vision before the dark tunnel.

 

Michael smiled and pushed Cas aside. Both the angel and Sam shouted Dean’s name at the same time before a blinding blow of light send them flying on the ground even further than before. The light was so raw, so threatening they couldn’t see for entire seconds even before it vanished like a destructive wave from the shore.

When they blinked into reality again, Michael was dead. Or rather his body was: it was nothing but a heap of bubbling flesh and blood, bone dust flying into the evening wind entering the church by the broken windows.

 

And then, they both held their breath, for Dean was standing in the middle of the room, untouched. There was no more blood on his skin, no more dirt, no more pain.

 

“Dean?” Sam whispered with the last stream of voice he had.

Dean turned and his stare sent a shiver down his brother’s spine. No, no, something was wrong, his green stare usually so bright and warm was now cold and calculating, looking at him like a tiny bug, a tiny speck of dust. Something to break, to crush, to _kill_.

“Dean?” Cas asked, blinking, and tears rolled down his cheeks. He took a shaking breath and got up, made a few step to Dean. He repeated his name, a little spark of hope bursting in him. Perhaps Michael’s vessel was destroyed before he could do anything and perhaps-

“Well, maybe the feeling flew both way after all” Dean suddenly said and Cas stopped, stunned.

Dean smiled, a smile so cold and bloody and monstrous it froze Cas entirely. The sky darkened outside and suddenly lightning crashed. Two wide wings appeared on the wall behind Dean. And God, they were his, attached to his back and cruel cold light filled his eyes, swallowing all the warm, sweet green like a black hole.

 

Sam and Cas shouted Dean’s name at the exact same time as Michael’s wings beat, strong like a hurricane, and Dean was gone, tied to a comet drenched in blood and dust, the farthest from holy, only leaving two broken souls looking up at the cold night sky behind.

 

**Author's Note:**

> PS: is it that obvious that I'm 1000% tired of Lucifer?  
> PPS: is it that obvious I need Destiel to go canon no matter how?


End file.
